Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to storage/retrieval
machines~ and more particularly to a method and apparatus for
vertically aligning the mast of a storage/retrieval machine.
The mast of a storage/retrieval or S!R machine
can be seventy feet long or longer. When the machine is erected
on a job site, it is critical that the mast be.properly aligned
vertically in order for thb machine to function properly in
relation to the storage rack, structures with which it interfaces.
, , The.prior art method for-aligning an S/R machine
involves the use of shims placed under the base of the machine,
a trial and error process which can involve the lifting of a ,
20,000.lb. to.30,000 lb. machine-numerous times. It can be'
appreciated that such handling of a machine is time consuming
and expensive.
According to one aspect of the present invention
there is provided a storage/retrie,val machine including a frame
and a mast assembly.attached to the frame and extending vertically
therefrom,.the mast assembly including an upstanding..support
structure attached to the frame, the support structure including
a vertically disposed wall and first pivot means attached to the
wall. A mast.member abuts:'the wall and includes second pivot
means engageable with the irst pivot means., Clamp means act
. on the sapport structure and the mast member to apply a clamping
force therebetween. Adjustable means acts between the support
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the pivot.means:against the clamping force.
' According to another aspect of the present invention
: there is provided a method of attaching an upstanding mast
: ass.embly to the frame of a storage/retrieval machine in a
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precise vertical position. The method includes the steps of
attaching a support member to the frame, pivotally supporting
the mast assembly on the support member, applying a clamping
force between the support mem~er and.the mast assembly, and
moving the mast assem~ly about the pivotal support.against the
clamping force unti~ a precise ~ertical position is o~tained.
It can be seen, therefore, that what the present
invention provides is a mast,structure for an S/R machine and
. a method for'aligning such structure wherein the mast structure
is pivotally supportable in a receiving structure mounted on a
base, such that when the mast is erected on a job site it is
placed on its pivotal support and temporarily secured, whereupon
the mast is precisely aligned by-a known optical or mechanical
alignment,method using adjustable means acting between-the
receiving structure and the mast to move the mast about its
pivot, The mast is then.permanently attached to its receiving
structure on the base.
According to a specific embodiment of the invention
means are provided for aligning the masts of a double masted
S/R machine which includes aligning each mast separately as ~.
above, after wh'ich the separate mast structures are tied together.
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Other objects and advantages of the presen~
invention will be apparent from the following description
when considered in connection with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a storage/
retrieval machine constructed in accordance with the
invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation
view of a portion of the machine shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 3--3 of
FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a
further aspect of the invention applied to a double masted
storage/retrieval machine; and
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the
structure shown in FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a
storage/retrieval or S/R machine 10 comprising a base
frame 12, one or more drive wheels 14 mounted for rotation
20 on the frame 12 and engageable with floor mounted rails
16, one or more non-driven wheels 18 mounted for rotation
on the frame 12 and engageable with the rails 16, a
horizontal drive motor assembly 20 mounted on the frame
and operatively connected to the drive wheels to drive the
25 S/R machine horizontally along the rails, a mast assembly
22 mounted to the frame 12, a load carriage assembly 24
attached to the mast assembly for vertical movement
relative thereto, and a vertical drive motor assembly 26
attached to the mast assembly 22 and operable to drive the
30 load carriage 24 up and down the mast by means of a cable
or chain system 28.
Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, in
~:~ : accordance with the:invention, the mast assembly 22 :
::: comprises a fabricated saddle structure 30 which is bolted
35~or otherwise fastened to the frame 12, and a mast member
`32, which is recieved within the saddle structure and
attached thereto.
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The saddle structure 30 comprises a base member
34 which is attached to the machine frame; a first
vertical side plate 36 welded to the base plate 34; a
second vertical side plate 38 spaced transversely of the
5 first relative to the S/R machine and welded to the base
plate 34; first and second top plates 40 and 42 welded to
the tops of the side plates 36 and 38 respectively; front
and rear end plates 44 welded to the side plates 36 and
38, top plates 40 and 42, and base plate 34; a horizontal
10 pivot member 52 received through the side plates 36 and 38
and welded or otherwise fastened thereto; a plurality of
clamp bolts 54 received through clearance holes 55 in the
side plates 36 and 38 and threaded into side plates 68 and
70 of the mast member 32; and first and second adjustment
15 assemblies 56 and 58 attached to each of the top plates 40
and 42. The adjustment assemblies 56 and 58 each comprise
a bracket member 60 welded to the top plate 40, and a
screw 62 threaded through the bracket member. The
adjustment assemblies are spaced apart about a vertical
20 centerline through the side plates 36 and 38, and the
assemblies are positioned so that the ends of the screws
62 bear against opposite ends of bosses 64 welded to the
side plates 68 and 70.
Substantially V-shaped no~ches 66 are formed
25 centrally in the bottom of [each of] the side plates 68
and 70 and are received over the pivot member 52 when the
mast is assembled to the frame.
When an S/R machine 10 is delivered to a job site,
the mast and frame assemblies are shipped separately.
30 With the rails 16 in place and leveled on a warehouse
fioor, the frame 12 supported on wheels 14 and 18 in
~ position on the tracks, and the saddle structure 30
~ mounted on the base 12, the mast member 32 is positioned,
~ by means of a crane or the like, within the saddle
::~ 35 structure 30 and with the notches 66 received over the
pivot member 52. The mast member is then roughly aligned
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vertically and the clamp bolts 54 are threaded into the
mast side plates 68 and 70 to clamp the saddle plates
between the mast and the heads of bolts 54 just enough to
hold the mast temporarily in position.
Using a plumb line or other known means for
establishing vertical alignment as a reference, the mast
member is pivoted about the pivot member 52 by threading
one or the other of adjusting screws 62 against the boss
64, while the rPmaining screw is backed off accordingly,
10 the clearance holes 55 allowing sufficient movement of the
mast relative to the saddle to effect precise alignment.
When the mast member is precisely aligned vertically, the
clamp bolts 54 are tightened fully into the mast side
plates to hold the mast in position relative to the saddle.
At this point the S/R machine can be moved to
various address locations (not shown) in the warehouse to
verify the alignment. If more precise alignment is
required, the clamp bolts 54 can be backed off slightly
and the plumbing process repeated at any position along
20 the rails 16, after which the clamp bolts are again
tightened into the mast.
After final plumbing is completed, the mast side
plates 68 and 70 are welded to the saddle structure to
permanently position the mast assembly relative to the
25 frame.
In the illustrative embodiment the clamp bolts 54
are distributed in an arc about the axis of the pivot
member 52 to facilitate movement of the bolts 54 within
the clearance holes 55 when the mast position is adjusted
30~about the pivot. It has been found in practice that using
clearance holes of a diameter of 1/8 inch greater than the
diameter of the bolts, sufficient movement can be obtained
even if the bolts 54 are aligned horizontally across the
saddle plates.
In FIGS. 4 and 5 there is illustrated somewhat
schematically a~further aspect of the invention as it is
applied to a double masted S/R machine.
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The double masted machine, designated by the
reference numberal lOa, comprises first and second mast
assemblies 22a and 22b which are identical to the mast
assembly 22 in their attachment to a frame, each including
S essentially identical mast members 32 and saddle
structures 30. The mast assemblies 22a and 22b are joined
by means of first and second mast cap members 72 and 74
which are attached to the tops of the mast asemblies as by
bolts 76, and which are fastened together by means of a
` 10 plate 78 which is welded to one of the mast cap members
and bolted to the other mast cap member by means of bolts
80.
In FIG. 5 there is shown an enlarged view of the
right hand portion of the plate 78 and its attachment to
15 mast cap member 74, with the bolts 80 shown in section for
clarity. In order to allow each mast assembly to be
separately aligned, the bolts 80 are received in slots 82
. formed in the plate 78.
To align the double masted machine illustrated by
20 FIG. 4, the bolts 80 are loosely received in the slots 82
while each of the mast assemblies is aligned independently
by the method discussed above. After each mast is aligned
and fixed to its saddle structure, the bolts 80 are
tightened to fix the mast assemblies together through the
25 mast cap members 72 and 74.
